


Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

by spaloon



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Alice Has A Tail In This Too Bidch, F/F, Second Person, Singlehandedly spoonfeeding the 5 people that like Susie/Alice, That One AU Where The Toons Live In Joey Drews Studio, period typical homophobia and misogyny, susie just loves her job
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2019-07-04 10:03:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15839001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaloon/pseuds/spaloon
Summary: “Wow Susie, that was the Bees knees!" Alice Angel is all smiles, clapping her hands in applause. "I knew you had the voice of an angel, but golly, you put the pearly gates to shame! Now I see where I get it!” She gives you a little wink, and you almost blush.It’s still strange- and a little jarring, you must admit- to see these... creatures running around in the real world, but you also must admit that a few select non-specific ones have grown on you.





	1. just not christian

**Author's Note:**

> More Alice/Susie fics by my roomate! These are a dramatic tonal shift from the others so I thought they deserved their own story. 
> 
> The 5 people that ship Alice/Susie have to be fed somehow

_“This gal can grant your every wish..._  
_I’m Alice Angel!”_

You let out a breath of relief as the recording light clicks off. Far be it for you to say this work isn’t rewarding, but sometimes recording the same few lines over and over for an hour can get a bit... _much._ Well, fingers crossed you’re finally done. When Sammy gives you the signal to leave, you push open the door, and are pleasantly surprised by what you see on the other side.

“Wow Susie, that was the Bees knees!" Alice Angel is all smiles, clapping her hands in applause. "I knew you had the voice of an angel, but golly, you put the pearly gates to shame! Now I see where I get it!” She gives you a little wink, and you almost blush.

It’s still strange, and a little jarring, you must admit, to see these... _creatures_ running around in the real world, but you also must admit that a few select non-specific ones have grown on you. You give her a laugh as you tuck some hair behind your ear. “Oh, how long were you listening in? _God_ , that must’ve been a real treat, hearing me belt out the same 30 seconds over and over.”

She just beams at you as bright as ever. “Oh, I could never get tired of listening to you sing! Though, I wish you’d use that slight country drawl a little more from the first few; I think it’d really give me that extra _‘oomf’!”_

You smile right back and shake your head. “Oh honey, you know I wish I could, but old  _stick in the mud_ says 'the test audience don’t like it' and that 'southern accents don’t go over well with the yanks, and Alice’s design in general makes it so _hard_ sell in the south, so you tell me which is more negotiable!'”

You hear the other man in the room clear his throat as he gets up from his station, a frown on his face; not that that was unusual.

“Speak of the devil, there’s the stick now,” you whisper to Alice, and she giggles.

Sammy approaches, never casting his eyes towards the character. “Well this 'stick in the mud' makes sure that you get your pay check, so _maybe_ don’t talk about him while he’s in the room." He gives you a frown, but then shakes his head, seeming distracted. "Regardless, that was... fine. It could be better, but...”

Alice seized upon the delay in his sentence to butt in. “I thought it was perfect!"

Sammy casts her a sideways glance. “My dear, I knocked over a trash can earlier and you said it was the best tune you'd ever heard.”

“I mean, it had some good rhythm," she replied, sheepishly looking down at her mary-janes.

He looks away from her and back to you. _“Anyway_ , back on topic. It’s a half-a-minute song, so, I think fine will do. But, Susie....” He looks very uncomfortable, and seems like he’s about to say something multiple times. You raise an eyebrow as he runs a hand through his hair and glances back at the other woman in the room. “Alice, could you leave us for a few minutes?”

She crosses her arms and huffs. “I ain’t about to listen to some twig!”

You can’t help but laugh just a little bit. Maybe you've been too much of an influence on her. “No, it’s alright, get on out. I’ll catch up with you in a second.”

Alice gives you a concerned look before hesitantly uncrossing her arms. “Well, if it’s _you_ asking, I guess I can skeedattle... Are we still on for that picnic out by the lot?”

You nod your head. Who could say no to such a pretty face? “Of course, I packed those sandwiches you like so much.”

She claps her hands together with glee. “Oooh, I can’t wait! Well, see you later then, Alleygator!”

As she walks out the door, you turn back to Sammy, anxious to get this over with. Something about the look on his face has you on edge, but you don't let it show as you prop your arm on a nearby desk. “So, what’s the news, Samuel?”

He clears his throat again, still clearly nervous. “Well... you see. Some of the employees... well...” He tugs on his collar. You never knew him to be the kind to get tongue tied. It must be serious.

“Goodness, Sammy, what's gotten into you?" You put a hand on your hip and frown. "It's not Alice, is it?”

Sammy sighs and looks away from you. “Well, it would seem that a few of your coworkers have... taken _issue_ with your conduct with some of the characters. Joey and I were talking, and he thinks it’s..." He glances at the door that Alice had exited and lowers his voice. "...well, _indecent.”_

 _That's_ what this is about? You could almost laugh in his face. Instead, you only scoff at the remark. “Oh, so Joey wants to take the moral high ground? Was that before or after he started drawing all the pentagrams and reciting his _moon-speak?”_

Sammy sighs again. You're getting a little sick of his sighing. “It’s just not _Christian,_ Susie.”

You blink for a moment at the implication, taken aback, but quickly regain your composure. “Well, I don’t give a rat's ass if it ain’t Christian. Can’t two gals just have _fun?_ I'm the only one that bothers to be a little social with her, besides all the men... And anyway, alotta stuff around here ain’t too _Christian_ , if you haven’t noticed." You put a hand out, indicating the room around you, with its posters of the little grinning demon himself. "And I’ve seen how you are around Bendy, so-“

He immediately backs up away from you with a grimace; clearly you must have struck a chord. “H-hey now! That’s completely different! It’s just- It's not often an upstanding man of faith gets a one-on-one with someone from the deep down. It’s an opportunity.”

You give him a smug look. “Mhmm, and just where did he put that _'opportunity?'”_

“Ms. Campbell!”

You laugh and shake your head. “I’m just yanking your chain Sammy, lighten up a bit." With a sigh, you decide to ease his fears. " Listen, me and Alice ain’t doing anything that the lord would frown on, alright? 'Cept for her existing and all as some kind of inky hell spawn. So, why don’t you just go tell Joey that everything’s all peaches and gravy."

Sammy's shoulders finally relax, and you give him a sure smile and a pat on the back. But before you let him go, you add, "and while you’re at it, tell that lil' horned bastard of his that if he leaves another snake can on my desk disguised as some delicious peanuts, I’m gonna shove those paper tubes right up his _where-the-sun-don’t-shine."_

Sammy gives you a concerned look. “... I’ll, uh, let him know.”


	2. funny business

You hear the fire alarm go off, followed by the demonic cackling of the dancing demon himself. He may be a nuisance, but he’s a _cheap_ nuisance. Clearly, your dollar was well spent. You quietly make your way to the exit as several staff members rush past you deeper into the studio. None of them pay you much mind, and as the alarm is silenced, you put a hand against the door out. But, just as you are about to make a clean getaway, a familiar and completely unwelcome voice stops you cold.

“ _Going somewhere_ , Ms. Campbell?”

Ugh, this was the last guy you needed to stop you. You slowly turn to face him, a fake grin plastered on your face. “Heeeey Sammy! Yeah, I’m off for the day, so I was just... You know, heading home!”

He looks over you suspiciously. You can feel sweat prick at your forehead. “Hmm. I see. Tell me, was that coat always so... _tight?”_

Putting a hand to your chest, you do your best to look shocked and appalled. “Why, I _never!_ What kind of man asks a question like that, you sicko!" You straighten as he frowns at you. "I’ll have you know I just, uh... hit a growth spurt.”

He crosses his arms and raises a dubious eyebrow. “In your mid 30s?”

You pout. “Yeah, what of it? It’s a rare condition, and I’d _appreciate_ you showing a little remorse for my affliction.”

He points down at your feet. “And I suppose your 'affliction' comes with clown shoes and a demon tail?”

You haphazardly glance down and notice Alice's little spaded tail poking out the underside of your coat and curse. Crap... He's seeing right through you. How are you gonna get out of this one? _Think, Susie!_ “Yes...?”

He just sighs. “Just have her back before Joey notices, Alright? And no funny business.”

With a grin, you push the door open, home free. “I have no idea what you’re talking about or what kind of 'funny business' a gal can get into at home by herself.”

“Yeah, nothing funny here!" A muffled voice from inside your coat calls out.

Sammy just raises an eyebrow at you and you huff, uncrossing your arms. “...Alright, ya caught me. I’ll have her home by curfew.”

Defeated and exposed, you push through the wooden door and make your way out into the parking lot. After double checking to make sure no one is around to rat you out, you stash your precious cargo in your car and start it up. After you’re a good ways out the gate, you pat the seat to let your passenger know it’s safe to poke her head up.

“Sneaking ain’t your strong suit, huh?” You say, looking at Alice in the rearview mirror. She just rolls her eyes.

“Oh _please_ , if you thought we were gonna walk out of there with those Koko the Clown shoes and not get spotted, your head must be in the clouds.”

You laugh a little. She's absolutely right; it was a pretty dumb plan, all things considered. Luckily, the stick must’ve slipped out of Sammy’s rear end a bit today. “Okay, so it was a bad plan. But it worked, didn’t it? Welcome to the outside! Oh, before I forget-” You reach into the glove box and pull out a pair of tortiseshell sunglasses. “Here, these’re for you.”

She takes them and looks them over before holding them up to her face. “Oh, wow! You got me a gift?”

“Sorta... They’re mostly so none of the civilians see those pie-cut eyes and get hysterical. Keep your tail where they can't see it, too. Can’t do much about the horns or halo except maybe saying you walked offa the set of some new flick.”

Alice hums and begins to rock back and forth in her seat, looking at all the people and cars passing by. “Oooh I just can’t wait! I’ve never seen so many people in all my life, and so many lights!" She presses her face against the window to get a better look. "Where are we going first? Can we go see a play? Ooo, or maybe we can go buy mugs that say funny things about being old!”

You just smile through it all. Seeing her so excited to be on the outside really warms your heart. She looked like she was starting to get a little stir crazy, all locked up in that studio. You'd be lying if you said you didn't jump at the first chance to spring her out for a night. “Actually," you begin, glancing at her from the corner of your eye, "I got us a reservation at a little Italian place up the street. Figured you could get some real food in you, and then maybe bring you home afterwards, let you meet the cat!”

Alice gives you a playful little shove. “Oh you _dog_ , do you really think a little spaghetti is all it takes to bring me back to your place?”

You immediately feel your face heat up. “N-no, of course not! That’s not, I didn’t mean it like-“

Alice giggles away your excuses. “Aw Susie, I’m just fooling with you! And you say _Sammy_ is the one with the stick up his butt.”

Haha, yeah... of course she’s just fooling with you. We all like to joke here at _Joey Drew’s._ You swallow and keep your eyes on the road.

“'Course..." Alice continues with a sly little smile, and you feel her tail move to bush your side, "since it’s you, maybe you might just get lucky tonight.”

You nearly swerve into traffic.


	3. the way of things

You pull up to your apartment and turn off the engine with a click. The drive back home is a long one, and your heavenly passenger drifted off a while ago. You give her a little shake to bring her to. She yawns and rubs her eyes, peaking out at her surroundings.

“Huh? Where are we?”

“This is the old homestead I was talking about,” you say, and gesture to the large building you've parked at.

Alice bolts up, staring wide eyed at the complex. “Wow, this is  _your_  house? It’s so huge though, I didn’t know you were rich!” Before you can correct her, she crosses her arms and pouts. “You’re loaded and you take me out to some cheap, two-bit diner?”

You snicker. “Oh, heavens no, I wouldn’t spend a dime to own this  _dump._  It’s like... a buncha little houses all crammed together. I only got one little piece with this voice actress salary. Come on, I’ll show ya around.”

You climb out of the car and circle around to the other side to open her door for her. She slides out of her seat and immediately hugs herself, shivering. The air certainly has a bit of a chill to it, though with your thick coat it's less of an issue. You feel a tinge of sympathy for the Angel; her signature dress doesn't do much to cover from the cold. “Need a little more than that dinky old dress, eh? I tried to tell ya.”

She turns her head away from you with another pout. “Oh, shut it! And my dress is  _not_  dinky, just so you know.”

While she’s busy with her pouting, you remove your coat and drape it over her shoulders. She jumps at the touch, but relaxes just as quickly.

“There ya go," you say, "that should hold you over 'till we’re inside.”

Alice blinks, but then gives you an appreciative smile and wraps her arms around herself. "Holding open the door  _and_  giving me your coat? How chivalrous! You sure know how to treat a lady."

You brush off the creeping blush in your cheeks with a laugh. "Yeah, well, when every guy you've dated has the same moves you pick up a thing or two, I suppose."

You lead her towards your apartment, up two or three flights of stairs. The cold is starting to bite into you now too, you must admit, but you can handle it. Finally, you come up to the shabby red door, apartment 615, and fumble with the key to open it up.

“Alright, here we are," you say, locking the door once she's inside. "Make yourself at home; I’ll get you something to drink.”

She passes you, eager to take a look around, and stops in the middle of the room. She hums, hands on her hips. “...It’s a little  _bare,_  don’t you think?”

You frown, making your way to the kitchenette. “Well, I suppose I just never saw a point in decorating. I don’t usually entertain company, so it’s just me and Sam, and he doesn’t mind too much.”

She looks over to you, eyebrows furrowed. “Oh... you and Sammy live together?” For some reason, you think you sense a little disappointment in her voice.

You quickly shake your head. “Oh, absolutely not. I wouldn’t invite that stiff to share a glass of water; He'd probably end up giving me a  _lecture_  about it. No, here he comes now!”

As if on cue, your little Sam comes bounding out of the back room and leaps up on the counter. He immediately launches into loud meowing, head butting against your arm as you try to make your tea. “Here he is! Here’s my fat little man!”

Alice practically squeals with delight as she runs up to pet him. “Oh my  _goodness_ , he’s so big and fluffy! Why on  _earth_  would you name him after that twig?”

You snort, watching Sam gladly eat up the sudden attention. “Oh, I adopted Sam  _way_  before I ever met Sammy, and by the time I did it was too late to change it.”

"Does he talk?" Alice asks suddenly, scratching him under the chin.

"Ah... not exactly?"

"Oh! More of a Pluto, less of a Goofy, right?"

You just raise an eyebrow. Alice shakes her head.

"Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I forget just how  _weird_  it is here."

She goes back to petting your cat, yelling out  _“Kitty Kitty Kitty!”_  over and over again as he purrs and rubs against her outstretched palm. You wouldn’t admit it to yourself, but you almost feel the slightest tingle of jealousy.

* * *

You bring Alice a cup of tea while the two of you settle on the couch. Alice had switched on the radio, which was now playing some kind of gentle orchestra number. Sam has long since retired, leaving just the two of you alone. Alice hums along softly to the tune as she cools off her tea. It's a comfortable atmosphere; you can't remember the last time you'd felt so at ease with another person. You don't like the feeling you get in your chest when you have to remind yourself that she isn't a person at all.

“Hey Susie," Alice asks, thankfully interrupting your thoughts, "What’s all those books over there about?” She's looking over at a dusty shelf in the corner.

“Oh, those are just some, uh... sciency-type journals and textbooks and what not,” you say with a slight frown. 

She tilts her head quizzically at you. “Why do you got so many of those?”

You sigh through your nose and set your cup down, watching the ripples in the tea. “Well, truth be told, a long time ago I wanted to be a scientist. A chemist, I guess, if you wanted to be specific. But, I guess it just wasn't in the cards.”

Alice furrows her brow. “Why not?”

You lean back in your chair. “'Cause a lady’s supposed to be well and stupid. It ain’t proper for someone like me to be taught like that. At least, that’s what every school I applied to told me." You shrug your shoulders. "But, turns out I had a good voice for music and a taste for the stage, so it worked out in the end.”

Alice sinks in her seat with a thoughtful look on her face. “Oh... that really stinks..." But, then she looks up at you with a simpering little smile. "But, I guess I’m glad you didn’t end up some big shot science type, or else I wouldn’t have the best gal on gods green earth giving me a voice, now would I?”

You almost blush at a compliment like that and lower your head. “Heh. Thanks, I really appreciate it. God works in mysterious ways, I suppose.” A silence falls on the apartment for a few moments, and you watch Alice occasionally glance back at the shelf. You raise an eyebrow. “Would... you like to read one? They’re a whole lot of jargon and hogwash, but some of them are pretty interesting.”

Alice just looks down, seeming uncharacteristically embarrassed. “Oh, um- I’m fine... I, uh, can’t actually- or, um... Why don’t you just tell me all about it yourself?”

Well, it  _has_  been a long time since you had a chance to talk about this with anyone...

"Well, why not?" You sit up, taking one more sip of your tea. “Alright, so get this:  _Apparently,_  there’s more to creation than just the Galaxy. They say they can even prove the universe is expanding, if you can believe that!”

“What’s a Galaxy?”

“Oh, well, a Galaxy is a...”

* * *

  
You yawn and check your watch. It’s way later than your usual tapping out point, and with the need to sneak Alice in early under Joey’s nose, you really should be getting to sleep. The aforementioned angel looks like she’s barely hanging on herself. If you're being honest, you're surprised she'd listened to you so intently the whole night; It wasn't often that you had such a willing audience. It's... nice.

With a sigh, you get up, and turn off the radio. “Alright, I think it’s about time to hit the hay. You okay with sleeping out here?”

She yawns and snuggles into your coat like a blanket. She seems to like it so much you have half a mind to let her keep it. “...yeah, I think so."

“Goodnight, then. I’ll see you bright n' early,” you say, and turn off the lamp. You retire to your room and close the door behind you.

As you drift off to sleep, a part of you almost wishes you invited her back here. After all, it is still pretty chilly... but, you do your best to squash it down. No sense in thinking like that. Soon enough, sleep finally takes you, and the world fades away...

...Only to be brought swinging back by the creaking of your door. You blink the exhaustion out of your eyes and stare out at the sliver of light that casts itself across the room.

“Hey Susie...?" You hear Alice whisper. She's nervously chewing her bottom lip. "I heard some walking outside the door, and I couldn’t sleep. Do you mind if I...?”

You huff. Just what was it about her that made it so hard to say no? “...Yeah, come on," you say, moving over to make room on your small bed.

She slowly approaches, and you’re surprised when she lays the coat to the side and begins to undress. You quickly look away, feeling your face burning, until you feel her get under the covers.

“Goodnight, Susie,” Alice breathes. You can’t bring yourself to look back at her, even as an arm stretches out beneath the sheets and drapes its gloved hand over your side. Her tail soon follows, curling up around your leg and sending a spark down your spine. You bite your lip.

“G-Goodnight, Alice...”

As she snuggles up against you, chest flush against your back and breath hot on your neck, you feel like you’re going to prove once and for all the theory of spontaneous combustion.


	4. a tour of ill conceived ideas

Well, despite your negative gut instinct, here you are. The giant sign of the grinning little demon glares down at you, the carefully painted lettering clear as day: **_Welcome to Bendy Land! Tremendous fun for everyone!_** You only grimace at it. You don't like the wooden version any more than the real one- but, thankfully, at least _this_ version isn’t alive. You sigh and slip off your coat. It’s so stuffy down here, but you can’t say you didn’t expect that. This deep underground, there isn’t much in the way of fresh air. What you _didn’t_ expect was the heat and humidity- probably from the thick pipes that run through the walls, through the whole building, bubbling with who-knows-what. Personally, you hate going this deep in the studio, but a promise is a promise, and you’re not the type to back out.

"They really built a whole park down here?” Alice speaks dreamily, leaning against you with a smile on her face. “Wow... isn’t Joey Drew just _amazing?”_

Rolling your eyes, you scoff at the her. “Yeah, sure. Just don’t let him put the charm on you, or next thing you know you’ll be singing show tunes for pennies.”

Alice’s eyes widen, and she seems more excited at the thought than you’d hope. “I could make a whole _penny?”_

As you try to explain why that isn’t a good thing, you barely notice when another figure steps into the hall. 

“Well, if it ain’t Alice Angel and her Anglette. It’s been a spell Susie, what brings you to my neck of the dump?”

Now _there’s_ a voice you haven’t heard in a long time. You turn to the source to see none other than Lacie Benton herself- covered in grease and soot but no worse for wear. _“Lacie?_ I thought you packed up and skedaddled, what are you doing way down here?”

She wipes some grime off of her nose with a shrug. “Guess I’m runnin' this shit- sorry, Alice- _hole_ now. At least, that’s what Joey says.” She shakes her head, then, checking that the coast was clear, she lowers her voice. “I tell ya, sometimes I don’t know what that man’s thinkin’. Who wants to go to a park 6 feet and some change under?”

You snort. Nothing the man does makes any real financial sense. If it wasn’t for his way with words this studio would be dead in the ground. “I don’t think that man's head is on straight these days. But, hey, if keeping my mouth shut gets my checks signed, it’s all smiles and ‘yes Mr. Drew!’ from me.”

Lacie nods her head with sympathy. “I hear that. So... I’m supposin’ you didn’t come here to just shoot the…” She looks at Alice. “... Well, the _S word._ What can I do for you gals?”

You gesture over at your Angelic hanger-on. “Well, ever since I brought it up, _this one_ has been bugging me non-stop to take her down for a ride or two. I figure she wore me down.”  
  
“It’s a secret underground fair, who wouldn’t wanna check it out?!” Alice pipes in with a pout.  
  
“Anyone _sane,_ that’s who.” You break out your purse and start sorting through it for change. “So what’s the charge for two gals looking for a good time?”  
  
Lacie puts up a hand and shakes her head with a smile. “Nah, I ain’t gonna charge you girls. Now, if you’d brought that scrawny devil with you, what’s his name... _Sammy,_ then maybe I’d be chargin’ a few just for makin’ me look at ‘em. But if ya’ll wanna risk your life on these rickety things, I ain’t gonna make you pay for it. ...Beyond physically, ‘course.” She winks.  
  
You’re suddenly a lot more nervous about this. “...You _sure_ you don’t wanna charge us? I mean, I seem to have forgotten all my money, so if you do I’ll just have to leave... but...”  
  
Lacie grins and crosses her arms. “Nope, it’s free as a bird. You two go on in, my treat.” You give her a pleading look, but Alice giggles and quickly grabs your hand, dragging you along into the park proper. As you’re leaving, you can hear her yell, “Try not to break anything, it’s been a minute since I’ve set any bones!"

 

* * *

 

Taking a deep breath, you aim at your target, holding the rifle level. Sights lined up, you squeeze the trigger. There’s a sharp _ding,_ and another cardboard duck adds itself to your growing body count. Beside you, there’s a certain someone having quite a bit less luck.  
  
“I just don’t get how you’re doing that,” Alice huffs, shaking her gun, “I can barely get this dumb thing to fire!”

You fire again and drop another target. “Did you try the safety?”

“It’s a plastic toy, why would it have a safety?” There’s a pause. “... _Why does it have a safety, it’s a TOY!”_ Clearly frustrated, she sighs and sets the rifle down, accepting that it’s too late for her to get any kind of score. You, on the other hand, are just rolling in points. She eyes you as you wipe the sweat off of your forehead and set the rifle down. “Well, aren’t you just the big commando? Whatcha gonna spend your tickets on?” 

You take the considerable line the machine spits out and stuff them down in your purse. “I dunno yet, but I got my eye on one of those big dolls...”

Alice puts her hand on her hip with a smirk. _“Gee,_ I wonder which one. Dunno why you’d need that, when you got the Genuine article right here.”

You laugh a little. Yeah, it seems a bit silly when you think about it, but the dolls are cute. You wouldn't admit it to her, but you'd always carried a smaller version of it in your purse as a sort of good-luck charm.  

“Besides," the Angel continues with an innocent little smile, "if you need an Alice to take to bed, well...” You’re glad that this rifle is just a toy, or else you definitely would have put a hole in the ceiling. Alice, on the other hand, takes her turn to laugh. “Aw Susie, you’re just _way_ too easy to yank around. I can’t help myself!”

How terribly cruel of her. You shake it off and calm yourself back down. “Well, you little devil, you better cut it out if you wanna see the rest of the park!”

She crosses her arms. “Fine, ya big baby. You know you'd be frowns for miles without it.”

With that, you both proceed deeper into the ill-conceived amusement park. It’s mostly just more little games and weird, vaguely sinister animatronics. You and your gal-pal take a moment to regard a poster of Bendy with a rather... _feminine_ form, and both arrive at the question of “why not just use Alice when she’s a character that exists already?”

Nothing else particularly interests you, until you come across some kind of Actual Ride. The sign boasts the words ' _The Whipper Will-O_ ' in thick black letters.

“Wow, lookit that thing Susie, I’ve never seen anything like it!” Titters Alice excitedly, tugging on your arm.

“Me either, but it sure looks like a Monster of a ride. Wanna give it a whirl?”

Before you can even step on the stairs leading up, a voice calls out from the base of the thing. “Ah, ah! No way! Ain’t no way you or that toon of yours are getting on this death trap, at least 'till I can gets it back up and running.”

Is _everyone_ just down here today?

“Wally?" You call back. "They got you working down here now, too?”

The janitor stands up from where he was crouching, and puts a hand on his back. You swear you hear something pop. “Yeah, me and Boris both got stuck trying to keep these big piles of junk up and running, and I tell ya, it’s a wasted effort. I don’t know much about this Bertram fella ol' Joey up there goes on about, but personally, I dont think the man knows his ass from a hole in the ground.” He checks his watch quickly. “Oops, looks like it’s my lunch break! Sorry gals, but you might wanna take a rain check on this big sack of crap. It ain’t gonna be in safe condition any time soon." He scratches his head for a moment in thought. "...Theres some kinda rail ride in the back though, and it probably won’t put ya’ll in the ground. Don’t hold me to that, though, I ain’t lookin for another lawsuit.”

You blink. “Uh, okay, sure... we’ll just move along then. Thanks for the warning, and keep up with the... work.”

He wipes away some grease from his brow as you walk a dissapointed Alice towards the exit on the other side. “I am for now Suze. But I swear, if they don’t let me outta this hole soon, then I’m _outta_ here!”

You just roll your eyes as you leave the room.

“Ah Mary Jesus and Joseph!" You hear Wally shout. "Did you eat my sandwich again? I outta box your ears, ya stupid mutt!”


	5. reading your red lips

You take your seat in the waiting room outside Joey’s office, hands clasped and leg bouncing nervously. 

You can only imagine what he called you up for, and that imagination has got you more than a little on edge. After all, you’ve made  _ quite _ a habit of sneaking your angel outta heaven- once a week now, at the very least. It only stands to reason you’d get caught eventually. Anxiety through the roof, you're mentally kicking yourself as the seconds go by. If this cost you your job...

“Listen Joey, I’m not trying to criticize you, I just don’t see what having all these guys running around actually does for us!”

Lost in thought, you didn’t even realize why you had to wait out here. There’s a tense argument coming from his office- he and Henry are having their weekly spat, it seems. You should mind your business, but…

“...Stop saying ‘marketing’, how does any of this have anything to do with marketing?! What’s marketable about a bunch of cartoons crawling around here making a mess? Between their awful sense of humor and all these damn pipes, I’m sorry to say it, but...”

Sounds like  _ someone _ isn’t a very happy camper. To say everyone around here had a stick up their ass is an understatement, these folks might as well have the whole tree. Far be it for you to run your mouth and complain, but you feel like a cartoon studio should be full of more brighter characters than these people. You hadn’t been here as long as Henry had, but he had always seemed under pressure. Were you the only one left that still loved your job?

Suddenly, the door is thrown open and Henry storms out, snapping you back out of your thoughts. The look on his face is borderline furious, but it softens up a bit when he notices you. “Oh, Susie, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were out here.” 

You look past him at the door swinging back shut. “What was all that about, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Henry sighs and straightens his tie, recomposing himself. “Just some... creative differences, I suppose. What are you in for?”

Henry was always a nice enough man, and absolutely more competent than  _ Joey.  _ Why he isn’t the head of the company you never knew- Out of everyone in the studio he seemed to be the one that cared about these cartoons the most. Nervously, you give him a shrug, tucking some hair behind your ear.  “I dunno yet, Boris just strolled right up to me at lunch holding the court summons. It didn’t say what for.”

Henry just shakes his head, looking tired. Henry always looked very tired. “He goes through all this trouble and for what? Just to have them running around delivering mail? Mark my words, when the paper finds out about this,  _ gosh _ , the whole town will want to see this place burn.”

You dismiss him with a hand wave and a sympathetic smile. “Ah, you always get too worked up about this stuff. Remember you were going around saying he was gonna pull the devil outta those scrawlin’s of his, and nothing much came of  _ that.” _

“Well, in my defense, he did pull out a devil.  _ My  _ devil,” Henry huffs, running a hand through his hair. He looks at you for just a moment, as if he’s thinking something over, then lowers his voice. “I just don’t know what’s going on here anymore, Suze. The whole studio’s gone to hell in a handbasket, and between you and me? I think Joey’s coming a little unhinged. ...If all the Satanic iconography isn’t proof  _ enough _ .”

You raise an eyebrow at him, but, you suppose you can see where he’s coming from. Joey was getting ahead of himself, not only with the Ink Machine, but the gift shop, the theme park, all the floors… No one had gotten a break in so long it stood to reason the animators might be getting a bit stir-crazy. Come to think of it, when was the last time this studio released a real, honest-to-goodness cartoon?

Henry checks his watch and sighs again. “...Anyway, I gotta bolt. Deadline’s coming up quick, and I’m sure Joey will find the time in his busy schedule of  _ chanting _ to chew me out. If he starts smearing some kinda blood sacrifice on the walls, let my wife know.”

He chuckles, but having seen what you’ve seen, you don’t think it’s very funny. “Uh, will do, chief.” 

After he leaves the room, the door to Joey’s office finally opens.

“Ah, Ms. Campbell,” he calls from his desk, leaving you to wonder just who it was that let you in. “I’m sorry about the wait. Please, come on in.”

Straightening your skirt, you finally stand up, doing your best to swallow the egg sized lump in your throat. Well, guess if you’re gonna face the music, you might as well run headfirst into the piano. You take a seat in front of his desk. “I-is there something I can help you with, Mr. Drew?”

You try not to let the stutter in your voice be too noticeable, but he still gives you a look of concern. “Is everything alright, Susie? You seem a bit pale.”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” you say, nodding your head. The bastard’s just toying with you now; he knows  _ exactly _ what’s wrong. You should just get up and quit before he can fire you.

“If you say so,” Joey exhales with a frown. “Regardless, I called you down here because I have a favor to ask.”

Wait.

“A favor?”

“Yeah, a skirt from some agency or another is interning with us to do some voice work. I didn’t ask too many questions. When you work in the industry long as I do, you recognize talent and don’t let it slip away,” he explains with a grin. You never really liked Joey’s grin. “I was hopin’ you’d give her a tour of the studio.”

You loudly breathe a sigh of relief, drawing another concerned look from your boss. “Oh, is  _ that _ it?” After a moment of thought, you tilt your head. “Well, why me? Isn’t Sammy the head of that department?”

Rolling his eyes, Joey leans back in his chair and pulls out a cigar from somewhere in his desk. It’s then you notice just how worn out he looks, baggy eyes and deep creases along his brow. He looked like he’d aged at  _ least _ ten years from when you’d first met him. You almost feel sorry for the man. “He’s been real busy these days, and I don’t feel like gettin’ into it with another employee so soon. Besides, you still owe me for picking up your side of the bill.” 

...And, just like that, your sympathy instantly vanishes. What a little rat, holding what any gentleman  _ ought _ to do over your head… Still, you’re in the clear as far as getting canned goes, so you’ll take it. “Alright, fine. What’s the gal’s name?”

“Allison Pendle, I think it is.” There’s a pause as he flips through some papers. “Yep, right here. She should be here ‘round nine or so. Maybe you could introduce Alice, let her meet one of our stars! And make a good first impression. Don’t want her gettin’ scared away, do we?”

If the first sight of that grinning demon running around wouldn’t scare her off first… You force yourself to laugh along with Joey as you think the situation over. It wouldn’t hurt to have more women around the studio- and it would  _ certainly _ take the load off of voicing the other characters on top of Alice. With how unbearable Sammy was getting lately, this  _ Allison _ might even be a welcome change.

Head held high and determined to look on the bright side, you decide to ignore the feeling of Joey’s eyes boring into you when you leave his office.

 

* * *

 

 By the time you’d finally let Allison go it was noon, and time for your much needed lunch break. Alice, picnic basket in hand, follows behind closely as you exit into the fenced in back lot of the building. There was a nice grassy spot that had yet to be converted to concrete you’d only discovered just recently, and with the fence keeping out prying eyes, it was the perfect place for you and Alice to meet without being bothered. The weather was nice and sunny, and you gratefully sucked in the fresh air. So much nicer than in the studio, which was much too dank and stale and acrid.

Just like several times before, Alice gets to work setting up the picnic blanket, while you take a seat and finally get off your feet. You might have a pretty cushy job, but hiking around the studio to show the new girl around is an ordeal you weren’t built for. There was just way too much ground to cover and far too many stairs- and getting stuck in the elevator again wasn’t a risk you were willing to take.

“So how’s the new gal?” Alice asks finally, once she’s sat across from you, pretty as a peach. “She dynamite or dookey?”

Thinking for a moment, you grab a sandwich out of the basket and begin to unwrap it. “To tell you the truth, I don’t really know yet. She seemed nice enough, but… She kinda gave me a weird feeling.”

Alice looks up from her sandwich, brow raised and tail flicking back and forth. She was clearly interested. “Weird how?”

“She just seemed like she was off! A little like she was scoping me out too,” You frown, taking a bite and chewing thoughtfully. “... and I didn’t much care for it, I’ll tell you that for free.”

It was Alice’s turn to grimace, shaking her head as she ate. “Well she better not be thinkin’ of takin’ away  _ my _ Susie, or I might just have to set her straight!”

Ugh. You wish she wouldn’t talk with her mouth full. Snickering at her comment, you wave away her concern. “Awh, don’t worry doll, I’d always make time for my bestie!” 

The angel only sighs at that, but doesn’t elaborate as to why. Does she not see you as her best friend? What other friends does she even  _ have _ besides you? Realizing that’s a rather mean thought, you instead keep your mouth closed and finish your sandwich.

After a minute or two of eating in the awkward silence, you try to break it with a little small talk. “So, how's the grub? I know that they’re your favorite...”

She wipes some egg away from the side of her mouth with her thumb, somehow managing not to smudge her lipstick. “Oh, they’re good. Though, there’s somethin’ else I’d  _ much _ rather be eating...”

You glance back at her again, brow furrowed. You’re not quite sure what kind of look it is she’s giving you right now, but it definitely doesn’t look like a sandwich hungry one. “Oh, sorry... I thought you were in the mood for these. Aren’t they your favorite?”

She sighs again, which  _ really _ wasn't like her. Of course, there was a lot of that going around the studio these days, spreading like a bad flu. “No, they’re good. This is exactly what I wanted.” The tone in her voice didn’t sound too convincing. Before you can say anything about the fact though, she suddenly sets her sandwich aside. “Hey Susie, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

She taps her cheek a few times, as if trying to find the right words. “...We’re friends, right?”

You let go of a breath you didn’t realize you were holding and smile at her. Is  _ that _ what she was worried about? “Of course! You’re the sweetest friend a gal like me could hope for!”

She frowns deeper for some reason, twisting her tail in her hands and looking away. You don’t ever recall seeing her look so troubled. “ _ Just _ friends?”

You blink in confusion, but there’s a feeling of unease building in your stomach. You almost feel like you understand what she’s asking, but a part of you hopes it’s wrong. And the other part... “Y-yeah? Do you... are we not friends?” You ask, deciding to play dumb.

“No, it’s nothing like that! Susie I... I’ve been laying down some pretty heavy hints, and...” After scooting closer towards you, she puts her hand on your thigh, and holds the other to her chest. “And I’ve decided to go all in, ‘cause, sorry to say, I think you might just be denser than the phone book for Heaven.”

“Alice, I…” She was so close you could feel her breath, feel the chill of the ink radiating off her skin. You feel… very, very warm, despite this, but you don’t pull away, even if your brain tells you you should.

“Y’see, I… I wanna be your angel, Susie,” she says, with a simpering smile. “I wanna be by your side through the thick n’ thin, I wanna be able to leave this musty old studio without bein’ afraid- I wanna be able to make it big with you and leave it all behind!” She grabs your hand suddenly, and  _ gosh _ , the expression on her face could just melt your heart. “I got your voice, Susie, and as long as that’s true you’ll always be a part of me. And I want you to be a part of me  _ forever _ .”

“I- I want that, too,” you say before you can stop yourself. But who were you kidding? If it wasn’t for Alice, you would have left this Hellfire of a studio months ago. You only ever stayed after the Ink Machine was built just for the opportunity to meet her. And now she was here, and you couldn’t imagine life without her. “But you’re already my angel, Alice. I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for you. You’re a part of me, too.”

You didn’t realize how stiff she was until she nearly deflated in relaxation. It was as if you had said  _ exactly _ what she wanted to hear. She grins at you, wide enough you can see the little glint of fangs in the sunlight, and pulls you in for a hug. “Oh, thank Heavens... I was afraid I’d be starin’ at the other half of this picnic as a splatter. Golly, you really know how to work a gal up, Susie!”

As she squeezes you tight, tucking her head into your neck, you wonder where on earth she would have gotten that idea. “Of course not… You and I, we…” You trail off, the feeling of her tail wrapping around your middle distracting you, and only just notice she’s pulled back just enough so her gloved hands can move to your face. Your breath catches in your throat as she leans forward, and-

And then you feel her cold black lips press against yours, and your eyes shoot open wide. It’s a kiss- a  _ real _ kiss, not like when she took your voice. Of course, now you aren't sure if there was much difference, with the way she holds you close. You just sit there, can’t even process the words to make a protest, your arms have completely locked up as she does... what she’s doing to you. She must notice, because one eye peaks open, and she pulls away with a concerned look. “...Susie, are you alright?”

Finally, you manage to bring a shaking hand up to your mouth. “I-I- y-you…” As you stammer, she reaches a hand towards you. You instinctively shrink away from it. “W-what did you... wh...”

Alice, surprised at your reaction, casts her eyes down. “Oh, I... I thought we were on the same page? Isn’t this what people who love each other do?”

_ Love? But... her? She’s another… She’s not even...  _  And yet, it made sense. All of the comments, the subtle touches and looks- You chalked it up to cartoonish teasing, but you didn’t think she really felt- Maybe a part of you  _ hoped _ , but- God, Sammy was right, this wasn’t Christian at all.

“G… Golly, I really messed it up this time. I’m sorry, I’ll get outta your hair...” Alice sniffs, pulling away. You can already see the tears welling up in her big pie shaped eyes, and something inside your chest is screaming to not let that dam break.

“N-n... no Alice wait- wait, I-” You grasp at the hem of her dress. She looks back up at you, and she looks so...  _ small _ .

And then you kiss her back, tugging her forward so she won’t pull away again. Your hands, still a little shaky, find themselves on her hips, while hers tangle into your hair, and she smiles. It’s… nice. Maybe the nicest kiss you’d ever had, despite the bitter taste of ink on Alice’s forked tongue. You’ve kissed lots of men, of course, you weren’t a stranger to it, but this… It’s never felt this good before. Alice was perfect. She made your head spin, set your skin on fire. You couldn’t say you hadn’t thought about it, maybe more than a few times, when Alice was talking or singing her little songs and you couldn’t help but stare. Even when she was on the big screen you’d wondered what it was like to kiss an angel.

And that… That was very,  _ very _ bad. But you didn’t want to think about that now, not when Alice was curling her tail around your waist, running her tongue against your bottom lip, and-

and then you catch sight of your watch, and realize your break is almost over. You break away from her with a sigh, breath heavy and hair mussed. Alice lets you go with a quiet, confused whine, tail twitching.

“Ah, sh… sorry, Alice, breaks up. Sammy’ll be tracking me down any minute now, I should…” You pause, looking at her, and notice the bright smudge of red across her mouth. Then you touch your lips and realize you can’t look much better. “I should clean this off me before anyone sees.”

“Why? ‘Cause they’ll be jealous?” Alice snickers, flicking your nose with her tail. It was almost as if she wasn’t on the verge of tears just moments ago. You only shake your head.

“No, ‘cause if any of them find out about- about  _ any _ of this- Sammy, Henry, or  _ God forbid,  _ Joey…” You bite your lip and suddenly it dawns on you just what all this meant. Alice being a girl was bad enough; if Joey Drew found out you were canoodling with one of his cartoons… No, it was best to keep this secret-  _ whatever _ it was. “We’d be in serious hot water. Understand?”

The angel pouts just a little, tilting her head. “Why? ‘Cause I’m a cartoon?”

“Something like that,” you reply with a frown as you stand up and smooth your skirt out.

Alice brings a hand to her mouth in shock as the realization hit. “Oh, you mean...? Golly, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know it was like that down here; Everyone’s queer up in Heaven!”

You pause, eyebrows raised. “W-wait, really?”

“Oh, of course not, silly!” She giggles, sticking out her tongue. “How do you think I got my horns?”

With a huff, you shake your head. Alice really knew how to break the tension.  “Well, you and your horns can pack all this up alone if you wanna keep poking fun! I’m going back inside.”

“Aw, come on!” Alice calls after you, scrambling to get up, “I was just foolin’! Come back, at least lemme give ya a goodbye kiss!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> long time no update huh (^:


	6. Siren Serenade

It had been a few days since you had been called in to voice a new Alice cartoon. The focus had been put back on Bendy, the little devil- the only voices that had been needed recently were for side characters, and those roles had been given to the new recruit, that _Allison_. She wasn’t bad at her job, and the days off were nice, but… You couldn’t say you didn’t miss giving your angel her voice. It seemed nowadays they were giving Alice less and less screen time, and the less of her the public saw in the theatres meant the less you got to see of her in the studio.

In fact, you almost expected to see her bounding up to you by now- especially with how clingy she had been recently. Ever since she kissed you during that picnic the angel had been more touchy-feely than ever. On one hand, you were terrified of being caught, but on the other... All of the sweet smiles and lingering touches and quick kisses in the hall after recording sessions… well, _maybe_ the singing wasn’t the only thing you missed. With a soft sigh and the feel of her lips lingering in your mind, you push open the door to your familiar old recording studio.

“Morning, Sammy,” you say, hanging your coat on a chair. Sammy, who had been messing with a projection reel, seems to jump when you come in. The rest of the band doesn’t seem to pay you much mind.

“Oh, Ms. Campbell, you’re early,” he sighs, relaxing once he sees you, “Just a moment, I’m finishing up with Ms. Pendle’s recording.” You walk up and lean against his desk. It’s cluttered with an assortment of papers, a lot of it either sheet music or the responses to the numerous complaints he’s submitted to the front office.

“How’s it working with her?” You ask, head in your hand. There’s titles of sheet music for episodes you’d never heard of before. _Cookie cookin’, Tasty Trio Troubles…_ You frown. Most of them seemed to be silent pictures, and no sign of Alice’s name anywhere. “I haven’t got the chance since I gave her the tour. She seemed nice enough.”

Sammy runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “Well, not to speak ill behind her back, but.... honestly? She’s a bit boring. The hours seem to just drag on when she’s around.”

You raise an eyebrow at him. “I dunno Sammy, maybe a bit of boring and normal ain’t a bad thing to have around here. It could balance out all the magic and crazy. Maybe give her some time to get used to things. I don’t think she’s _quite_ got a hold of all the walking talking cartoons yet.”

“I suppose you’re right. Though with the way things are being run, I’d be surprised if she stuck around for much longer.” He chuckles a bit, but you aren't quite fond of the implication. After a moment he puts the reel to the side. “But, moving on… I think you’ll be happy to hear we’ve got a new song for our ‘darling angel’ on the docket.”

You quickly sit up. A song meant a full Alice episode, and not just one or two throwaway lines. It was a good sign. “Oh? What’s Jack got for me? Hope the sheet music doesn’t stink like last time.”

Sammy grabs one of the many sheets of paper off his desk, watching you from the corner of his eye. “Nothing, actually. This one wasn’t from our sewer lurking friend. Our good pal Alice wrote this one.”

Before you can comment your surprise a familiar voice chips in from the corner, nearly scaring you out of your skin. “Yep! It’s an Alice original, straight from Heaven’s choir!”

There she is, all smiles, sitting pretty in one of the chairs in the corner. You blink. _When did she....?_ You swear she wasn’t there before. Sammy knocks you out of your stupor by handing you the sheet. “She insisted it be a duet- though, for what reason is beyond me. You share a voice, after all.”

Alice skips over to your side, grinning wide. It was a smile you had missed, even if only for a few days. You can feel her hand brush yours, and almost wish you could grab it. “Well what can I say,” she hums, “it’s a voice so nice we need it twice!”

Even Sammy cracks a smile at that. “Yes, well, _do_ try not to sing over each other.” He moves back over to his desk, rolling up his sleeves. “I’ve whipped up quite the tune this time, to commemorate our little song smith's first hit. Just give us the signal when you’re ready to start.” He takes a seat at his station, fiddling with recording equipment. The band starts their warm ups, the sound of people going to their seats and plucking strings filling the air.

“Alright Alice, just try to sing clearly into the mic,” you say, shepherding her towards the recording booth, “don’t be too loud. Treat it like an ear.”

Alice only huffs, rolling her eyes. “Oh _please,_ Susie, I was born to work the mic. You won’t be picking up any slack today!”

The door closes behind you, and after a quick warm-up, you give Sammy the signal you’re ready to start. A tune gently wafts through the booth as the band begins to play. You couldn’t help but notice the extra instruments in the studio today, and it becomes obvious when you hear the soft melody of harp and piano that today’s song would be a bit different than usual. Quietly clearing your throat, you take the mic in hand, the other holding your lyrics.

_“I'm just a lonely angel,_

_Sittin' here on a shelf._

_At times it seemed,_

_If I just dreamed,_ _  
_ _I'd not be by myself…”_

Raising a brow, you look over Alice’s way, wondering if that’s how she really feels. She certainly seemed a bit starved for affection, but it did hurt to see a girl so sweet be so down on herself.

_“I never gave up hopin',_

_That you would come along..._ _  
_ _How bleak it seemed,_

_‘Till you found me…”_

It’s now that you can’t help but notice Alice watching you from the corner of her eye, as if gauging your reaction. _These lyrics_ … did she write this for you? Your face instantly heats up at the possibility and you swallow, forcing yourself to focus.

_“So now, I sing this song…!”_

And that’s when the rest of the band kicks in, the rhythm picking up. _Big band, eh?_ Not Sammy’s typical style, but you gotta say, you’re _really_ feeling that rhythm. With a wink thrown your way Alice clears her throat, and gets ready to start her part. Which, really, is indistinguishable from your part, what with the same voice and cadence...You aren’t complaining, but _why is this a duo even?_

“ _I'll be your angel,_

 _Sent from heaven above,_ _  
_ _Your little angel,_

_Cast down for you to love…”_

Watching her go on, you can feel your face heating up a bit. This is so sweet and touching, but... you sure hope Sammy doesn’t read into the lyrics to much. The last thing you needed was him sniffing this out.

“ _I'll be your angel, Ya fit me just like a glove…_ ”

Then, Alice gently takes you by the hand, and you look over through the window. Thankfully, it seems like the band isn’t looking your way. Biting your lip, you look back at your angel from the corner of your eye. _Come on Alice, you could be a bit more subtle..._

“ _So wontcha say a prayer to me baby!”_

Alice gives your hand a squeeze and bumps her side against you, but the anxiety only builds. You just have to finish the song so no one thinks anything is up. You take a breath, ready to sing again.

“ _Cause I've been waiting,_

_And I've been so alone,_

_Ain't had nobody,_

_I could call my own …_

_So be my angel, and say a little prayer to me!_

_And when I fall it's into your arms-_

_I never could resist all your charms-_

_You devil!”_

The look that Alice is giving you now _looks_ like it’s of the devil, that’s for sure. _Just keep your cool Susie, it’ll be alright,_ you assure yourself, _She’s just holding your hand, nobody's looking._ After all, it wasn’t as if you had never held hands before.

“ _It's far too late, my soul can't be saved…”_

What’s that... what’s that feeling on your thigh?  
  
“ _‘Cause when I hear hear ya, callin' my name-_

_You angel!”_

Oh god, is that her tail? It’s crawling up your leg, the spaded tip slipping under the hem of your skirt, and your heart almost stops. It’s a good thing she jumps in again, because your voice seems to have died in your throat.

_“My heart goes: she boop de boop boop, she boop bee do wow!”_

She guides your hand down to her hip, soft gloves ghosting your skin. Skin on fire, you feel the world’s eyes on you, in the exact opposite way you wanted.

_“Brush off my halo, and try out my wings-“_

Slowly, you try to pull your hand back, but she only tugs you closer, almost making you bump into the microphone and give yourself away.  
  
_“I'm just your puppet,_

_When ya tug on my strings!”_

She’s tugging alright... the grip on this girl. You’d be more into it if your whole career and life weren’t on the line. Casting her a pleading look as you get ready to finish the song, but all you get back is a devil’s smirk. There’s a twinkle in her big black eyes that you aren’t sure you like.

_“I'll be your angel-_

_And fly straight into to your heart!_

_Sha boop de boo boop she boop bee doo bow!”_

With the song finally over and the music fading, she does what you were terrified she would do- She pulls you down for a kiss. Your troubles, along with your resistance to this dangerous song and dance she’s led you on, just seem to melt away with it. Her hands cup your cheeks, her fangs scrape your lips, and for a moment, you forget yourself.

A moment too long.

Dully, you hear the clearing of someone’s throat.

“Miss Campbell.”

You jerk around to face Sammy, lipstick smudged. It seems he had come in to the recording booth while you were distracted. Your mind races for something, _anything_ to say. “W-wait, Sammy, it’s not what it looks like, I can explain! I was just..!”

He holds up a hand to stop you. “There’s no need. I suspected as much, but I didn’t want to believe it. I’m sorry, but... Susie, you knew _better_ than this. You know this will _not_ stand.” He starts to take his leave, but you manage to grab him by his coat, tears welling up in your eyes.

“ _Please_ don’t tell Joey, Sammy. I’m begging you. You know I love this job-!”

Eyes cold, he yanks his coat out of your hand before you can continue pleading your case. The way he stares at you, full of disgust… it’s like a kick to the face. “You should pack your things, Miss Campbell. I don’t think you’ll be working here much longer.”

Everything's falling apart around you- all because of a little _kiss_ . You can hardly breathe, hardly speak, dropping to your knees as he leaves you in the booth. Alice, who hadn’t said a word this entire time, finally steps by you. Desperately, you reach out for the hem of her dress. The only thing you manage to touch is her tail, slipping through your fingers. “You… Alice, you can say something right? Tell Joey it’s all a misunderstanding? _Please_.”

She looks down at you, a hopeful little smile on her lips, but... those eyes. You’ve never seen them so devoid of love. “Of course, Susie. I’ll set him straight.”

 Then she leaves you with a creak of the door, old wood digging into your knees and tears flowing freely. 

* * *

 

Once again, you find yourself outside Joey’s office. Boris wouldn’t even look you in the eye when he delivered your ‘summons.’ There’s no question this time; you know what you’re here for. You can only pray he has a slap on the wrist in mind, and not a slapping of the irons.

 After a long while the door knob starts to turn, and you watch it get stuck, giving you just a few more moments before your sentencing. But then it opens, and Sammy walks out. “Mr. Drew will be seeing you now, and... for what it’s worth, Susie, I’m sorry.”

Too angry to speak, you only glare at him with all the hate you can muster. He sheepishly looks down at his feet, scurrying off to whatever little crack a cockroach like him gets into off the clock. No one left to turn to, you stare straight ahead; at the open door, at the unwelcoming desk, at the man behind it.

Maybe it won’t be so bad- it’s not as if he could just fire you, right? You’re one of the big Three, the only female talent they have at the ready. He wouldn’t delay production over a little thing like _this_ , would he? Convincing yourself that it’ll all be okay, you pass through the threshold of his office, taking a seat.

“You, uh... You wanted to see me, Mr. Drew?” You ask with a plastered on smile, clasping your hands together in your lap.

Joey watches you with tired, sunken eyes, and it makes you shiver. He might _look_ like any old geezer, but there’s something about this man that makes your blood run cold. “You know why I asked you up here, right?”

 _Just play it cool Susie_ , you think. _If you can talk your way into a second helping of taco Tuesday, you can talk yourself outta this jam._ “Of course. Sammy fed you a whole line about some nonsense with Alice, I’m guessing?” Joey raises an eyebrow, and you continue. “Yeah, he seemed pretty steamed after the recording, was ranting and raving about throwing the book at me. All over a misunderstanding!”

"A misunderstanding, huh? So you’re sayin’ Sammy _lied_?” The disbelief in his voice is obvious. “Now Susie, I can believe a lot of things. Just look at the walkin’ talkin’ proof of my believin’! But a good Christian boy like ol’ Samuel? He wouldn’t lie if his livin’ was on the line.”

You quickly shake your head, trying to think of something, _anything_ to save your job. “No, no, I ain’t about to try to back up that pony. Sammy believes what he saw and said what he believes, no doubt! But, well you know how Alice can be. She really likes to tease ya, the little devil! Sammy just saw some of that teasing and let his imagination run wild, that’s all.”

Joey squints at you and starts fidgeting with his pen; you can’t tell if he’s buying it or not. Your hands feel cold and clammy and you have to wipe them on your skirt. After a moment, he finally speaks again. “Hey, Susie, I think my eyes are actin’ up on me. What’s that poster over there say?”

You look over where he’s gesturing, spotting a familiar poster. One of your favorite episodes. “Uh… _Siren Serenade,_ why?”

He clicks the pen and hunches over his desk. “You know what a Siren is, Susie? They’re old legend, from way back and across the sea. You know what they did?” You shake your head. “Ya see, the Sirens would sing and sing, sing just the most _beautiful_ music. More beautiful then you or I, or dear sweet Sammy could ever muster. And passin’ sailors, they’d hear this music, and they’d be entranced. Love at that first earful.” He starts writing down something on a sheet that you can’t quite read. _What’s he getting at?_ “But the thing is, Susie... There were rocks in those waters. Jagged and unforgivin’. Those poor bastards would steer their ships right in, following that song, until it was too late. Then the only music left was their screamin’.”

Finally, he sets down his pen, looking right at you. “The point I’m makin’ here, Susie, is that Alice is a Siren. Says right there on that poster. And, well...” He gestures to a corner behind him, at the person waiting there. Someone who wasn’t there before.

 _Alice_.

You’re so relieved to see her then, but that relief quickly turns to shock when you finally put together this yarn Joey’s been weaving. “...She sang. Told me all about what you two have been up to, every detail. Stuff I was _really_ hopin’ I didn’t have to hear.”

“No, not… J-Joey, I-“

Joey raises a hand to cut you off, shaking his head. “Susie, don’t. When I said to love the characters, I was hopin’ it wouldn’t be taken quite so literal.”

Biting your lip, you look over at Alice, sitting in a chair in the corner. She looks unphased, like she couldn’t care less what’s happening- you wish she would just look at you, say _something_ . After everything she’d said before, the way she touched you, the kiss… _She was your Angel, she couldn’t-_ You turn back to Joey, tears pricking the corners of your eyes. “A-are you gonna... f-f..”

“ _Fire you?_ Of course not! You’re a part of the family, Susie, and sometimes family disappoints you, but darn it, they’re still family!” He smiles at you, and the feeling of fear and betrayal just wash away as you let out a gasp of relief. “Now, of course, we can’t have you voicin’ Alice anymore, or _anyone_ , for that matter.”

That gasp catches in your throat and nearly chokes you. “ _W-what?”_

“I’m runnin’ a _business_ here Susie, and like it or not, things like this are bad for business, bad for morale. Word gets out about this, and suddenly every family in America is demandin’ we get taken off the air, get it? We’re family entertainment for Pete’s sake.”

You feel like you’ve been gut punched. If they aren’t firing you, then... _what?_ “What am I... what am I supposed to do then?”

Joey’s grin grows wider, almost sickening, as he slides you the sheet of paper. “Here’s a little description I whipped up of your new job. See, like I said, we’re family entertainment, right? That means we got a little somethin’ for everyone.” You stare at the sheet, but you can barely comprehend the words on it as he continues. “But what about the older fellas, what’s here to bring ‘em in? Well, we had this extra room in the back of the toy store, and some bits and bobs for a nice little costume, put ‘em both together, and...”

Mouth agape, you look up at him in disbelief. “A... a _peep show?!”_

He claps his hands together. You can only clench your own under the desk. “Just think about it! While Jane and little Sally are browsing our fine selection of merchandise, what’s a _man_ supposed to do? Well, why not provide him a little entertainment from an angel? Course, you don’t gotta worry about Tim gettin’ touchy feely, that’s what the glass is for, but...”

His voice trails off into the background as you struggle to even process all that’s happening. Your eyes drift over to Alice again, silently pleading with her. You swear you can see the slightest frown, the slightest twitch of a gloved hand.

“...So, what do you say?” You can barely open your mouth before Joey interrupts you again. “It’s quite alright, take your time. I know it’s a lot to put on your plate out of the blue. Go ahead and chew it for a bit. In the meantime, I’ll have the boys move your personal effects outta your station, since you won’t be needin’ it.”

Taking a shaky breath, you finally manage to get a sentence out yourself. “Who… Who’s gonna voice Alice, then?”

It’s not Joey that answers your question this time.

“ _Allison_ is gonna be providin’ the new voice for this lil’ ol’ angel now.” Alice has moved from her place in the corner and in front of you, perching on the edge of Joey’s desk, legs crossed. Her tail, almost _mockingly,_ curls just inches from your nose. “Allison, Alice... Ain’t it just a match made in _Heaven?”_

The voice coming out of her mouth isn’t yours. _That’s_ the final straw that gets the tears flowing.


	7. First Impressions

“You wanted to see me, Mr. Drew?”

You peek your head through the door of the dimly lit office. There was a secretary desk out front, but no secretary, so you weren’t quite sure if you were supposed to wait or simply barge right in.

“Oh, Allison!” Joey Drew, sitting at his nicely put together desk, grins wide at you. “Good to see you so soon. With how big this whole place is, I wasn’t expectin’ you for at _least_ a couple minutes. Please, come in, take a seat!”

As he packs something away into his desk, you take the open chair in front of it, wincing when it scrapes across the floor. He gives you another smile. A crooked one, though you don’t know why you think it is. There’s nothing about it to put you on edge, and he seems to just be a nice old man like any other. But there’s something about his smile, like there’s too many teeth, that it’s too forced. “It’s good that you’re here early actually, I like that in my employees. Punctuality is one thing, but showing you’re ready to go at a moments notice, it sets a good first image, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I s’pose so.” You shift in your chair, which is, you can't help but note, _much_ less nice than the one Joey is seated in.

He shuffles a stack of papers. They seem to be all blank. “Speaking of which, I wanted to ask you what you thought of the place. Hopefully we got off on as good a first foot as you did.”

You think for a second, trying to find the right words. It was still a lot to take in, Joey Drew Studios. Sure you’d done voices for Disney and Fleischer, but the working conditions in those buildings never could have prepared you for _this_ twenty some odd floor of a studio _._ “...Well, it’s certainly the most _interesting_ place I ever worked, that’s for sure.”

He smiles wider. “Interestin’, huh? I hope that’s a good thing!”

Well, in some ways yes, but in others... this place sure has a strange air. You aren’t quite sure how to feel about it. But you don’t dare tell your new boss that. “Oh I think so, yes. I’ve done some voice work in my years here and there, but this has gotta be the _largest_ studio I’ve ever seen by a country mile. I don’t know how all of you even get around this place! And those little robots you got walkin’ around? I’ve never seen anything like ‘em. I still can’t wrap my head around how you got ‘em to blink like that.”

He looks at you with a confused expression, before he seems to be struck with realization. “Oh, you mean the cartoons! They are quite somethin’ aren’t they? Awfully cute too, some of them.” Then he gives you a wink. You don’t see what he’s getting at, if he's getting at anything at all. “Actually, that’s why I called you down here. I wanted to ask you if you think you see a future with us! Loyalty means a lot to us here at _Joey Drew’s_ , Allison. It’s the ink that brings the pages to life!”

A really bold question to ask, but, you suppose any job wants to think you’re thick as thieves. No reason to say no and get canned. “Well of course, Mr. Drew. I think I’m really gonna love it here.”

There’s a soft noise as you hear the door open behind you. But the way Joey has his eyes on you almost makes you too nervous to turn around. Why are you so nervous? “I’m so glad to hear that, Allison, I really am. This next part might be mighty strange if you weren’t on board One Hundred Percent! ‘Cause you see, there are no _robots_ here at _Joey Drew’s_ . Machines a plenty sure, and maybe some of your coworkers might seem stiff as steel. But honest to gosh _automatons_? Why deal in those when what we have is so much more real?”

A woman walks by you and takes a seat on the edge of his desk, crossing her gartered legs. She seems awfully underdressed; how she isn’t shivering in the cold stale air is beyond you. In an attempt to look anywhere but her bare skin you quickly find your eyes drawn to her face, as about as drawn as her features seem to be drawn on.

“Allison, meet Alice!” Joey seems to puff his chest out with pride. “One of those ‘robots’ you were talkin’ about.”

Alice giggles- in a voice that sounds almost familiar, if a bit breathy. “Oh dear, you thought I was some _tin-man_? Never thought to shake a gal’s hand and feel the truth now, did ya?”

...You’re so confused right now. “Susie, is that _you?”_

Last time you saw her she looked a lot different, but you remember that sweet little voice. After all, It was only a week ago.

The angel- you think- huffs in annoyance and places her hand on her hip. “Weren’t you just listenin’? I’m Alice, Alice Angel! You know, the little miracle sent from above? Like all the posters?”

You look over at Joey, hoping your expression conveys the confusion you’re feeling.

“Not a fan I take it? It’s the voice isn’t it?” Joey asks, crossing his arms. The _voice_ is the furthest thing from the top of what’s all wrong about this. “Well, that’s part of why I asked you here. Not just to meet our little star, but… Well, you see, Susie is no longer lending her voice to the part of Alice here.”

That’s almost as shocking to you as this walking talking toon. Your brain is struggling to process everything that’s going on right now, if you’re being honest. When you last talked to Susie, she seemed so enamored with her job- you’d never seen an actress more attached to a character in your life. In fact, if you didn’t know better…  

Alice whistles, and you realize you were spacing out. “Whoops, I think we blew a fuse chief.” 

Joey waves her off dismissively. “It’s a lot to take in. And there will be plenty of time to let it sink at your new station.”

Deciding to push all this to the back of your mind for the sake of continuing to function for the time being, you raise an eyebrow at him. “My new station?”

Alice sighs and rolls her eyes. “You sure do like to get the thick ones for me, huh, Joey? Are you tryin to say somethin’?”

You frown. For an _angel_ , this girl sure is snappy. You normally enjoy the attitude, but it sure doesn’t feel good when it’s pointed in your direction.

Joey only chuckles. “Well Allison, since our good friend Susie decided to... pursue other ventures within the company, we find ourselves in need of some talent. And lucky for us, we got a whole bunch of it right across from me! ‘Course, I didn’t bring Alice along here just to look pretty. There’s the whole matter of her voice, too.”

Alice’s tail, wicked as it is, flicks behind her as she hops down from the desk. “I can’t be runnin’ around with the old voice now can I? That’ll confuse the kids. No, I think this ol’ sunofagun is due for an update!” With a soft, genuine smile, she extends a gloved white hand to you. Nervous, you look over to Joey again.

“Just let her borrow a few words why don’t ya?” He urges, gesturing you forward. “Then we can get you settled in.”

Against your better judgement, you swallow your nerves and give her your hand. It’s almost as if you’re possessed, the way she gently lifts you up out of your chair, pulling you in close. Really close, closer than you’d like. She’s artificial beauty, all unnatural and cold. She reeks of acetone and copper, and those eyes... you’ve got a pretty large pair yourself, but if they’re a window to the soul, hers are a massive glass pane full of nothing.

The angel hesitates for a moment, you think. For just a second you think you see something in those big black eyes flicker.

Then, she sharply inhales. You feel like the air is being sucked out of you, like your lungs are being pressed by a vice- almost vampiric in the way she drains you. And then, just as quickly, she lets you go. With a gasp, you stumble back a foot or two, hand clutching your chest. In shock you look over at Joey, who has an eyebrow raised, seeming far less pleased than just a moment ago.

“All done! This sounds a bit more kosher, don’t ya think?” The voice that comes out of the cartoon isn’t your coworkers this time. It’s yours.

Tersely, Joey clears his throat. “Yes, well. That’ll be all Allison. I’ll have the boys show you to your new set-up.” And with that, he spins in his chair and puts his back to you.

You feel almost sick, not sure what was just done to you. Breath catching in your throat, Alice gives you a little wave as you back out of the room.

“I’ll see ya later toots, me and the big man got some things to chat about.”

Then, as soon as you pass the threshold, the door slams in your face all on its own.

 

* * *

 

Joey sighs and shuffles the sheets on his desk absentmindedly. Sheets decorated with all kinds of symbols and ritual signs, so complex and yet, you think, so crudely drawn. “That could've gone better, huh?”

You tilt your head to the side, halo bobbing with it. “How ya figure? She didn’t seem all that shaken up, all things considered! Give her a little time, she’ll be perfect for the job!”

He doesn’t look so convinced. In fact, he frowns at you, lips drawn into a rather uncharacteristic line. “You didn’t put the moves on her this time. Why?”

You fake outrage at the remark, putting a hand to your chest. “Why, I never! What kind of hussy do you take me for?”

Joey pinches the bridge of his eyebrows, clearly not buying your act. Figures. The man is too caught up in his own ambition to be distracted by something to simple. “You know what I mean. You didn’t go in like you did for Susie! We’re tryin’ to run an operation here Alice, and I wanna know why you held back!”

With a huff, you look off to the side and cross your arms. “Listen buster, I’ve been in this game since before you were a twinkle in your daddy's eye. Some people you gotta be more subtle with, alright? Can’t just dive right in to every kiddie pool. She’ll fall, hook line and sinker. That’s a promise.”

Finally, Joey puts up his hands, seeming to be satisfied by that. “Alright, alright. You got a fair point. Can’t smooze em all the same.”

You lash your tail side to side as he straightens out the stack of papers. In truth, Allison seemed the type of girl to snap under a peck on the cheek; This definitely wasn’t her first time putting her hands on a woman. You could sense it- she’d be putty in your hands.

That’s not what held you back. That’s not it at _all_.

“You really are a magnet for these kinda degenerates, aren’t ya? Bet it makes your life a helluva lot easier. Mine too!” Joey chuckles, not looking at you, and you grit your fangs.

You can’t wait to knock the teeth out of that crooked mouth.


	8. quite a gal

You rest your cheek in your palm, mulling over the scrap in your hand. 

_ “Meet me in the back of level K. ~Alice <3” _

The angel has barely said a word to you since you became her voice actress, brushed off any attempts to get to know her, and only really acted friendly when  _ Joey _ was watching. Joey himself says you’re doing a great job, but having the character you voice want nothing to do with you is a kind of hit to the old confidence you honestly never expected to receive.

So, it was...  _ strange _ , when she slipped this in your hand. What’s even on level K? You can’t remember all these floors- this place is a maze, a confusing spiral of strange unfinished areas and superfluous rooms you didn't think an animation studio would even need. It was enough to give you a migraine.

Was K the amusement park, maybe? Perhaps she wants to make a connection over a game of ring toss. It’d make your job a lot easier that way; what better way is there to get in character than getting a helping hand from the gal herself?

Well, you suppose if you’re wrapped up for the day, you might as well see what the girl wants before you head out. It wasn't the first time you’ve stayed out late at a ladies beck and call.

 

* * *

 

You duck under a line of Alice merchandise and move a few racks out of the way to finally make it to the door at the back. Why does everything have to be a puzzle in this place? It’s never just  _ normal _ . Why was there a toy factory this far underground, anyway? It didn't make sense.

With a huff, you spot a sign by the door catches your attention.  _ ‘Gents Only.’ _ Is this some kind of service closet? Why on earth did Alice want to meet you in a  _ closet? _ This might be Heavenly Toys, but you’d rather have at least a conversation with the lady before you spend seven minutes in it.

You decide to just knock on the door. “Alice, you in there?”

No response. Maybe you’re early? She didn’t write down a time- maybe she thought you’d take longer? You decide to push open the door and peek inside just to make sure she isn’t hiding- and to your surprise, it’s not a closet at all. There’s a whole bunch of Alice paraphernalia behind glass lining the walls. Dolls, standees, posters… and on the far end of the room, behind another large pane of glass, was the fallen angel herself. Well, at least it turns out you weren’t early after all.

“Guess I found the right place, eh?” You laugh awkwardly, rubbing the back if your neck. The door swings closed behind you as you step further inside. “So… What was it you wanted me to see?”

Her back is to you, not saying a word- and suddenly, you feel a creep of unease as you step forward. She seems like she’s... shaking a bit? You look up at the sign above the booth.

“...  _ ‘Quite a gal,’ _ huh? Well, I-“

Before you can finish your sentence, the lights cut out and leave you in pitch black darkness. You hardly have time to worry about it though, before several TVs all flicker on at once, portraying a smiling little picture of the Angel in question. A tinny jingle starts up to accompany it, one of the little ditties you recently recorded.

“Wow, you put on a whole little show just for me?” You ask, leaning against a barrel, marvelling at the lengths she seems to be going to to impress.

As the song nears its end, the light turns on in the center booth. Alice's back is to you still. Maybe she can’t hear through the glass? You right yourself to go knock on the window, but freeze in place as she finally starts to move.

Specifically, you see her start to pull down her dress. Your face lights up like a Christmas light; You didn’t know what to expect from the lady, but to just go ahead and throw caution to the wind and all her private business out for the world to see  _ certainly _ wasn’t what you thought you were going to be audience to today. She crosses her arms in front of her chest, holding up the front of the fabric just enough to hide her shame. As she turns to face you, you cast your eyes to the side. It’s not like you’ve never seen the full package before, but you hardly know the girl- chippy or no, you can’t just go peeping her marbles.

After what you can only assume is several more moments of increasing undress, you finally decide that maybe a little peak wouldn’t hurt- she  _ did _ put on this show for you, right? It would be rude not to indulge her. Not that she could even tell with it so dar-

_ That’s not Alice. _ You instantly lock on her face. No pie-cut eyes, smudges of makeup showing skin beneath the alabaster white, signs of running mascara that’s been wiped away. When the lights flicker back on- prematurely, you guess, from her reaction- she's staring at you in stunned silence, not a peep picked up on her microphone.

And then she squints, moving closer to the glass.  _ “... Allison?” _  And her voice… you realize just who it is on the other side of the glass.

“ _ S-Susie? _ What… What on earth is-”

You’re interrupted by the loud thud of her fist against the glass. She’s glaring daggers at you, and it's clear now that she's nearly on the verge of tears. “W-well? Come to gloat? Come to flaunt that awful voice in my face?” 

You furrow your brow, confused. Nothing makes any sense. “What?”

Susie sneers, clutching her dress closer to her chest. “Don't play stupid! You already got what you want.” Wiping her eyes, she shakes her head. “Do… Do you know how much I poured into that character, Allison? How much  _ love _ I put into her?” Her voice is cracking, faltering as she tries to keep her anger flowing. “... But that doesn’t matter to you, does it? They hate her now, because of  _ you _ . Are you both happy, are you  _ satisfied _ with what you did?!”

You take a step back as spittle splashes against the glass you’re all too glad separates you. “What are you talking about? Susie, you-“

She slams her arm against the glass, and you swear you hear it crack, ever so slightly. “SHE WAS  _ MINE! _ AND YOU TOOK HER AWAY!”

“J-Joey said you quit!” You manage, heart racing in your chest. There's a part of you that wants to turn, to run away from this awful room, but another part knows that there's something terrible happening here- that wants to  _ help.  _

“You're a liar…” she cries, sliding down the fogged glass in tears. “The  _ both _ of you are liars. Maybe you belong together- you’re both just a couple of  _ snakes!” _

_ Belong together?  _ The seraph hasn’t even given you the time of day till circa thirty minutes ago,  _ what _ is she going on about?

“Was it everything you wanted?” She asks, quietly, “When she kissed you, were you  _ pleased _ with yourself?”

“When she…” You shake your head in confusion. “She never kissed me!” 

Susie scowls, eyes red. “I… I heard you voice from her lips. She said it with a smile on her face.” Voice cracking further, her shoulders hitch as fresh sobs wracked her body. She leans her forehead against the glass, a steady drip running down the bridge of her nose. “S-she was mine... I... I was hers... and you... _you...!”_

You finally get the courage to press a hand to the window, kneeling down to her level. “Susie, I  _ swear _ , whatever you think happened...”

She glares up at you... no,  _ past _ you. “Why? I thought we... why not me? Why  _ her?” _

Before you can ask who she's talking to, you hear a giggle behind you. For a second, you could swear there are two of her in this room. 

“I guess the darn thing just doesn’t last if ya don’t do it the right way!” Susies eyes go wide, and you turn to see the Angel herself step out of the shadows. “Well, suits me just fine. I always  _ did _ like the original more-” she glances at you with a quick wink. “-no offense, hon.”

Standing up unsteadily, like a newborn deer, Susie presses against the glass. “Alice... your... your voice... it’s...”

She puts a hand on her hip. “Oh come on, darlin’, you don’t think I’m gonna just trade those golden pipes o’ yours for any old  _ riff raff, _ do ya? ... No offense again.”

You shift uncomfortably. “Uh, none taken...”

She walks past you and puts a gloved hand against the glass. “I do gotta say, that’s quite the look you’ve got honey... Why, I'd even say you look positively angelic! Though, I do hope you weren’t thinkin’ of flashin’ our  _ friend _ here the goods. You might put some thoughts in a girl’s head that aren’t protected by the good book, ya know!”

She giggles as Susie stares, dumbfoundead, at the Angel. “You... so you didn’t.. you two didn’t?”

Alice huffs with a small smile. “Now Susie, What kinda hussy do you take me for? Last I checked, I was happily taken!”

“But... but you said... and... you told Joey everything!” Susie frowns, and the tears start to well up again. “You... I, I  _ trusted _ you Alice. And you outed me...”

The Angel sighs sadly, letting her hand slip from the glass. “Listen Suse... I know I did you dirty, but- It’s  _ so _ much worse than you think. There’s a lot I need to catch you up on, but...”

You blink, and just as suddenly she’s on the other side of the glass. Susie nearly falls backwards herself, but a gloved hand catches her. 

“I didn’t fall from heaven, Susie- not really. I’m from somewhere a  _ heck _ of a lot hotter. But... I fell for you...” Alice gently takes her hand in her own, and turns to look up at you. “...And the three of us? We’re gonna fix this all, right as rain.” Then she grins, wide, her fangs glinting bright in the sickly pale lights. “... Then, we're gonna burn this whole place down, and I will _personally_ hollow out the skull of every man who laid their peepers on my little angel- starting with Mr. Joseph Drew.”

There's a beat of silence, before Susie falls into her arms and starts bawling. You’re so lost; you feel like if anyone needs to be brought up to speed, it’s  _ you _ .

“Ah, come on dear, yer gettin’ my dress all soggy…” Alice chuckles, wiping away tears, “I only got the one ya know, and it ain’t dry clean!”

Sniffling, Susie backs away, still holding onto Alice by the shoulders. “A-alright... Alright, Alice... Why don’t you go ahead and tell us what’s going on?”


End file.
